We’ve been experimenting with IFC4. Because the core of BIMserver is generated from an IFC schema it is not very difficult to create a BIMserver with IFC4 database instead of the current IFC2x3 (the database schema is also generated from core). The challenge is to have IFC4 ánd IFC2x3 files in the same core and database. After some initial research we decided to implement a first concept where a project can be IFC2x3 ór IFC4. Because subprojects are also ‘just’ projects, this creates the possibility to have a main project with subprojects that hold different versions of IFC data. For example a project with subprojects ‘architect’, ‘construction’ and ‘MEP’ where 1 of these subprojects has a different IFC version dataschema than the others, but can still be merged, queried, etc.. (and all the other BIMserver functions).

At this moment we do not have enough IFC4 files to test this and turn it into a release. Please help us out with IFC4 files. You can post them in this github repository or send them to us via e-mail. Github submissions will be public (creative commons license) and submissions via e-mail will not be made public but only used for internal testing purposes. IFC aspect models with different IFC versions (FOR EXAMPLE the architecture model in 2×3 and construction/mep in IFC4) are highly appreciated. As always we send you a BIMserver coffee mug as a token of our appreciation. Thank you very much!